Mama's Chicken and Dumplings

Mann, Dionna. L. Mama's Chicken and Dumplings
August 6, 2024 by Margaret Ferguson Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ten-year-old Allie Lewis lives with her mother in Charlottesville, Virginia in the 1930s. She's angry that her mother has to take care of the two of them all alone, since her father left the family and then was killed when she was young. She resents their landlord, who doesn't keep up the property, and is jealous of Gwen Turner, whose father not only provides for his family but seems to genuinely enjoy being with his daughters. Allie decides that her mother should get married, and sets about finding a suitable man in the uptown business district. She and her best friend Jewel have a plan; they will identify five candidates (by visiting their stores and showing the men her mother's picture while assessing if the men have kind smiles, the ability to fix things, and an absence of wedding rings), sell cookies to make money, buy the ingredients for chicken and dumplings, then deliver jars of the dinner to the men, who will of course be besotted and want to marry the mother. These plans go well for a while, and the men are identified. Allie particularly likes Mr. Johnson, who runs the local antique store, and it bodes well that he knew her mother in high school, even if he claims to be a "confirmed bachelor". She is NOT happy when her mother seems interested in her school band director, who happens to be Gwen's uncle. When Jewel's grandfather has a stroke, however, Allie is devastated that her friend has to move to Chicago to be near family. She writes to her friend, and tries to figure out a way to put her plan into action without having access to Jewel's kitchen. She is watched frequently by Miss Greta while her mother works at the McIntire's house, but manages to put up several jars of chicken and dumplings. She takes one to Mr. Johnson, but trips and falls with it. He helps her home, where of course her mother invites him to dinner. He offers to sell the premade dinners at his store, splitting the profit with Allie. School doesn't start on time because a local boy has come down with polio, so Allie tries to work on her plan, even delivering an extra spicy jar of dumplings to Mr. Coles, who is not dissuaded. When school starts, Allie gets in trouble for staring at Gwen; the two fight over Allie's doll, Mitzy, whom she has brought to school, and have to work together on a duet. Being in such close quarters helps the girls resolve their differences, and the two are suprised to find that the other envies them. Eventually, Allie's mother decides on a man to date, and Allie has a new appreciation for the people in her life. 

Strengths: This was a fascinating look at life in the Vinegar Hill neighborhood of Charlottesville, and talks about the Jefferson School as well. The author has a great note at the end about how there could easily be three books about this neighborhood and all of the history it contained before being razed in the 1960s for urban redevelopment. There's a nice sense of community, and modern readers will be jealous that Allie is able to walk around the business district and talk to strangers! There is some menion of the racism at the time, and period appropriate language is used, but this is more interested in Allie's quest to find her mother a husband. 

Weaknesses: Allie is a bit sassy; look at that face on the cover! She is fairly obedient, but I wonder how sassy children in the 1930s were allowed to be. Also, this was on the young side, with Allie carrying her doll to school. Young readers of today, who probably gave up dolls at the age of five, might not understand that dolls played a major role in childhood until much later than they do today. 
What I really think: This reminded me of Langton's The Majesty of Grace (1961). I would have adored this book as a child, and loved all of the details about daily life. We could use a lot more books about children in the Great Depression; there are not that many, especially with children of color. Curtis' The Mighty Miss Malone , Daley's If the Fire Comes: A Story of Segregation During the Great Depression, and Draper's Stella By Starlight are the only ones I can think of. 

A book about Greenwood, Oklahome BEFORE the massacre would be something I would love to see.